On October 27, 2016, Apple revealed the first significant redesign of its flagship MacBook Pro notebook in four years. The 2016 MacBook Pro greatly improves the processing power, graphics capabilities and battery life of the previous model -- but those aren't the features that have people talking. Apple has also made the new MacBook Pro thinner and lighter than ever -- and they've created an entirely new way of interacting with your computer.
MacBook Pro Touch Bar
If you frequently work with applications that use complicated command sets, you're going to love the new MacBook Pro Touch Bar. The Touch Bar is a touch-sensitive display positioned just above the keyboard. It is long, narrow and just as responsive as an iPhone's screen. It has the ability to display virtually anything depending on what you're currently doing with your computer. When you launch a supported application, the Touch Bar will automatically change to give you fast access to the application's most common functions.
These are just a few of the MacOS applications that support the Touch Bar or will support it before the end of 2016:
- Adobe Photoshop
- Microsoft Office
- Skype
- Pixelmator
You can also expect your Mac's built-in applications to support the Touch Bar. Safari, Finder, Final Cut Pro, iTunes and FaceTime all have specific Touch Bar functions. If the developer hasn't added Touch Bar support to your favorite application yet, you can create Touch Bar buttons yourself using the "Customize Touch Bar" option under the "View" menu. Note, though, that the developer does need to enable the "Customize Touch Bar" functionality for this method to work.
Other Features of the 2016 MacBook Pro
USB-C Only
The new MacBook Pro omits all standard USB ports in favor of smaller and faster USB-C ports. If you require standard USB, HDMI or Thunderbolt connections, you'll need a USB-C adapter. You can also use any of the MacBook Pro's USB-C ports to charge the computer's battery.
Touch ID
At the far right side of the MacBook Pro Touch Bar is a new Touch ID fingerprint sensor. The Touch ID sensor uses advanced imaging techniques to scan your fingerprint and store it temporarily in a secure enclave for analysis. You can use the Touch ID sensor as a replacement for website passwords or to log in to your computer. Apple has also integrated the Touch ID sensor with Apple Pay, allowing you to pay for online purchases simply by scanning your finger.
Butterfly Keyboard
Computer manufacturers must constantly adapt their notebook computer designs to satisfy consumer demand for thinner and lighter machines. Today, most notebook computers use "scissor" mechanisms under the keys. If you accidentally press the edge of a key, the keystroke may not register. The new MacBook Pro features a "butterfly" mechanism that keeps each key more stable and registers edge presses more accurately. If you type frequently, the MacBook Pro keyboard may significantly improve your typing speed and accuracy.